The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-02-10
fEcUMSEH'S TEETH.
The Part They Played in the First Dis
copery of Gold in California.

The Part They Played in the First Dis
covery of Gold in California.
Gen. w. r. Sherman has been promi-
nently identified with matters affecting the
worlds history independent of his brilliant
military career in the civil war. He drew
up the first official report to the govern
inent of the United States of the great dis
covery of gold in California, which report
at once electrified the continent, while the
subsequent immense production of the
precious metal in a few years revolution
lied property values throughout the entirs
commercial world, and gave an unprece-
denied impetus to Industries, enterprises
and general prosperity. .-la 3
Gold was discovered in California in the
spring of IS48, about sixty miles above
the present city of Sacramento. Gen.
Mason, was at that time in command of
the United States forces In California, and
acted as military governor with head
quarters at Monterey, the capital Of the
territory. Gen. Sherman, then a young
lieutenant Of the Third artillery, was the
adjutant of Gen. Mason's staff. Yerbe
! Buena, now the great city of San Fran
cisco; was then but hide trading port of
400 native inhabitants. AS soon as gold
was discovered, Capt. Suffer went down
to Monterey with u quantity Of samples Of
the precious metal for the inspection of
tho military authorities.
Gen. Sherman, in conversation with
some friends at Chamberlin's few even
ings since, referred to this important his.
torical event-so pregnant. with results
affecting the whole ENTHUSIASTICALLY
as. follows: Capt, Suffer brought into
Gen. Mason's office several small packages
of samples and spread them put before us.
The specimens presented varied in size
| from fish scales and split peas up to the
size of beans. Gen. Mason asked il i
knew how to test whether this stuff was
gold or not. j said certainly, and imme-
diately1 tried, my teeth OH, u lump, and
made IN imlentation which impressed me
That it was inalleable. then sent out for
a hammer and al ak, and pounded several
practical test, but we then applied acids,
which verified the fact tllat the samples
were genuine gold. =. - -'s e. i = E. ~
~ was at once sent up to the diggings
aud made q thorough examination of the
goldtliscoveries, which were rapidly being
found in new localities and in wonderful
amounts. Ireturned to Monterey with a
quantity of specimen samples and drew up
o tuO XIV
was signed by Gen. Mason. This report,
accompanied with quantity of samples of
gold, was forwarded by q special bearer Of
dispatches, who was no other than Henry
D.. Cooke, recently the first governor of
this District of Columbia. He was sent of
in u small sailing vessel, with instructions
to intercept a British steamer OIL the south
ern coast, and make rapid transit To Wash
,ington, regardless of expense We had not
then been advised of the Publications of the
treaty with Mexico, ceding California to
the United States. and were necessarily
very anxious that the government should
possess information of the discovery of gold
at the earliest moment" " =, - -. ..
Thus, less than forty years ago. cold
lTecumseh's' teeth made tho first official
impress, put the first government stamp
of value on to the subsequent thousands
of millions of gold delved from the mines
of this modern land of Ophir. Washington
Critic. ., -+.,,. H, ..,.-. d